Yarn severing mechanism for knitting machines



Dec. 14, 1965 J. D. MOYER 3,222,892

YARN sEvERING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Stat/0n IN V EN TOR.

James B Mayer ATTORNEY.

Dec. 14, 1965 J- D. MOYER 3,222,892

YARN SEVERING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 11, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pl E- E| JNVENTOR. James D. Mayer ATTORNEY.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 u 1 Lu J- D. MOYER YARN SEVERING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 11, 1962 v n Q .58.

Dec. 14, 1965 NL Hm INVENTOR. James D. Mayer BY gfi-fl/ ATTORNEY.

Dec. 14, 1965 J. D. MOYER 3,222,392

YARN SEVERING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 11, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Stat/on No.4

Station Ma.

Fl E- E Station No. 3

IN V EN TOR.

James 0 M0 er ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Office 3,222,892 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 3,222,892 YARN SEVERING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES James 1). Meyer, Wyomissing, Pa., assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jan. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 165,551 7 Claims. (Cl. 66-134) This invention relates to multistation knitting machines of the type adapted only for rotary operation for knitting fabric tubes such as for stockings having reinforced portions, and more particularly to means in such machines for severing and holding the ends of the severed main yarns at the time they are removed from knitting position and for again severing the main yarns at the time they are returned to knitting position. The means is also adapted to sever the reinforcing yarns close to both the first and last needles to knit these yarns, to hold the severed ends of the reinforcing yarns, and to remove all waste ends of both main and reinforcing yarns resulting from the severance of such yarns. This application is a continuation as to all common subject matter with my previously co-pending application Serial No. 850,487, filed November 2, 1959, now Patent No. 3,097,512, issued July 16, 1963.

In one type of circular knitting machine, heretofore proposed, for knitting ladies seamless stockings and having four feeding stations, each of the stations is provided with means for operating the needles and for moving feed fingers for the main yarns into and out of knitting position in a predetermined sequence. The machines are also provided with means for trimming the main yarns close to the circle of needles both at the time the yarn is moved to knitting position and again when it is moved out of knitting position, the trimming means including an annular member having a toothed outer peripheral edge lying closely adjacent the needle circle, and a cutter element associated with each feeding station cooperating with the teeth of the annular member to sever the yarns when they are moved out of knitting position. Also provided at each feed station between the yarn feed fingers and the cutting element is a suction tube for holding the ends of the severed yarns. The annular member which is rotatable with the circle of needles is adapted to engage and carry an outgoing yarn at a feeding station to the cutting element associated with an adjacent feeding station for severance between the needle circle and feed finger for the outgoing yarn and the end of the severed yarn extending from the feed finger is immediately drawn into and held by the suction tube adjacent thereto. When the yarn is again moved to knitting position the annular member engages and carries it to the cutting element associated with the feeding station for the yarn for severance between the needle circle and the suction tube and the residual waste end of yarn remaining following this severing operation is then carried away by the suction tube to a collecting chamber.

While the prior arrangement provided an adequate control of the main yarns during feeding and severance thereof in machines in which the feed fingers for the yarns are moved into and out of knitting positions, it was found that the same arrangement was inadequate in similar multifeed machines adapted for rotary or run-down knitting and having means for reinforcing portions of the courses of the stocking fabrics. In such machines the feed fingers for the reinforcing yarns are moved into and remain in knitting position and the path of the needles is controlled to cause certain needles to take and knit both main and reinforcing yarns while other needles take and knit only the main yarn in the same courses with the reinforcing yarn floating between the first and last needles to take and knit it. In attempts to adapt the prior yarn severing and controlling arrangement to sever such reinforcing yarns at both the ingoing and outgoing side of each reinforced course it was found that since the feed finger for the reinforcing yarn remained in knitting position both such severing operations were performed by the cutting element associated with the station feeding the reinforcing yarn rather than an adjacent station. The resulting short end of reinforcing yarn extending from the feed finger following its severance at the outgoing side of the reinforced course, although initially drawn into and held by the suction tube adjacent the feed finger for the yarn, was withdrawn from the suction tube causing loss of control of the yarn as it was presented to the first needle at the ingoing side of the course. This resulted in both defective feeding and severing of the reinforcing yarn at this side of each reinforced course.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide means, in a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stations for forming tubular reinforced stocking fabric by rotary or run-down knitting, for severing, and for controlling the ends of both main and reinforcing yarns for severance, at each of said stations.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means, in a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stations, for severing both main and reinforcing yarns associated with each of the knitting stations, the severing means being associated with only certain of the knitting stations and the severing means at each of the certain stations being adapted to sever yarns moved into and out of knitting positions only at stations other than the station with which the severing means is associated. The severing means also acts to sever reinforcing yarns at the same stations at both the ingoing and outgoing ends of each reinforced course formed thereby while the reinforcing yarn remains in knitting position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means, in a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stations, for severing yarns and for controlling the severed ends of the yarns at each of the stations, the severing means including a cutting element at certain of the stations and an annular toothed member rotatable with the needles of the machine and adapted to carry the yarns fed at the stations to the cutting elements for severance, the cutting element at each of the stations being adapted to sever yarns of a plurality of the stat-ions other than the station with which it is associated and the controlling means including a suction tube associated with each of said stations and means for guiding the yarns to be severed beneath the suction tubes associated with a plurality of the stations between the feed station for the yarns and the station with which the cutting element for the yarns is associated.

A still further object is the provision of means for severing yarns, in a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stat-ions and adapted to knit yarns at each of the stations by rotary or flll'l-dOWIl operation of the machine, the severing means including an annular toothed member rotatable with the needles of the machine and a cutting element associated with each of certain of the stations cooperating with the annular member to Sever yarns. Each cutting element is adapted to sever the yarns of a plurality of stations other than the station with which the cutting element is associated and the cutting elements are so arranged at the certain stations that yarns moved into and out of knitting position at certain of the stations are severed by only one of the cutting elements and the yarns moved into knitting position at other of the stations are severed [by one of the cutting elements and yarns moved out of knitting position at the latter stations are severed by another of the cutting elements.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in-the novel elements, features of construction and cooperation of parts, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a multifeed circular knitting machine having mechanism according to the instant invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of the dial and yarn severing mechanisms of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detailed elevational view on an enlarged scale taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line and in the direction of the arows 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a developed view of the needle operating cams and the jack selecting means at each of the knitting stations as seen from the outside of the needle cylinder of the machine of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views diagrammatically illustrating the control and severance of yarns with the mechanism of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof there is shown a multifeed circular knitting machine which includes a needle cylinder, a portion of which is indicated at 10 in FIG. 7, adapted for rotary or rundown operation, four yarn feeding stations Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 each suitably having a plurality of fingers 11 for feeding main yarns to a circular series of latch needles indicated diagrammatically at 12 in FIG. 3, the needles being slidably carried in slots 15 in the needle cylinder. Each station also has a finger 16 for feeding a reinforcing yarn to certain of the needles in a manner hereinafter set forth. The fingers 11 and 16 at each station are moved between active yarn feeding and inactive positions in the desired sequence by a pattern drum 17 which may be indexed by any suitable means but preferably such as that shown in British Patent No. 790,141, published February 5, 1958.

The needles 12 are adapted to be operated at each of the stations by cam structure (FIG. 7) acting on the butts thereof, the cam structure at each station including a raise cam 20 for raising the needles sufiiciently to cause stitches thereon to open the latches of the needles, a secondary raise cam 21 for raising the needles to a low or secondary clearing level, a stitch cam 22 for lowering the needles through their stitch forming movements, a guard cam 25 beneath the stitch cam and a center cam 26. Station No. 1 is also provided with a needle lowering cam 31 which is active only during the formation of the welt as hereinafter set forth. The cams 20, 22, 25 and 26 are fixed in relation to the needle cylinder 10 and the cams 21 and 31 are retractable or otherwise movable from an active position in which they act on the butts of the needles and an inactive position by means not shown herein and forming no part of the instant invention.

In addition to the above mentioned cams acting on the butts of the needles 12, the needles are also adapted to beraised to a high clearing level at each station through the rnedium'of jacks 32 which are of the rocking type and are mounted in slots 34 in a jack cylinder, a portion of which is shown at 35 in FIG. 7. The diameter of the jack cylinder 35 is larger than that of the needle cylinder 10'and the jacks 32 act through offset lifter members 36 to raise the needles when lower butts 37 on the jacks are raised by jack raising cams 40. The jacks 32 are provided with upper butts 41 which are acted on by a presser lever 42 at each station to rock the lower butts 37 on the jacks outwardly for engagement with the raising cams. The jacks are also provided with selector butts 45 which are acted on by selector levers 46 to rock the lower butts, on the jacks that are not to be raised, inwardly to miss the raise cams. The jacks 32 are further provided with butts 47 which are acted on by lowering earns 50 to lower the jacks after being raised by the cams 40. The construction and operation of the jacks forms no part of the instant invention and preferably is the same as that disclosed in said British Patent No. 790,141.

For knitting plain fabric at each of the stations a yarn finger 11 is lowered to active position to position its yarn as indicated at 51 in FIG. 7, cam 31 at station No. 1 is moved to inactive position, and the cams 21 at each of the stations are in active position. Also at this time the selector levers 46 at each station are held inactive and will not engage the selector butts on the jacks 32 and the presser lever 42 at eachstation is in active position to rock the lower butts 37 on all the jacks 32 outwardly to engage and be raised by the cams 4i). Thereupon as the cylinder 10 is rotated in the forward or counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7, the needles are first raised by the jacks along a path 52 to a high clearing level indicated at 53 and are lowered to a level 55 by the center cam 26. As the cylinder continues to rotate the needles engage and are raised slightly by the cam 21 to a secondary clearing level 56 and the needles after taking the yarn at the position 51 engage and are lowered by the stitch cam 22 to form the yarn into stitches of the fabric.

When a reinforcing yarn is also to be incorporated in certain of the stitches formed of the main yarn of finger 11 at a station, the finger 16 is moved to active position to in turn position its yarn as indicated at 57, the selector levers 46 are activated to act on the selector butts 45 of the jacks 32 that are not to be raised by the raise cam 40, and the cam 21 and presser lever 42 remain in active position. With the machine conditioned in this manner as the cylinder 10 is rotated the lower ends of all of the jacks are rocked outwardly by the presser cam 42 and the needles that are to knit the reinforcing yarn are raised by the jacks along the path 52 to the high level 53 by cam 40 to clear the previously formed stitches thereon and take the reinforcing yarn at the position 57 and are then lowered to the level 55 by the center cam 26. As the cylinder continues to rotate these needles are raised to the level 56 to also take the yarn at position 51 and are then lowered by the stitch cam 22 to form stitches of both the reinforcing and main yarns. On the other hand, the jacks associated with the needles that take only the yarn at position 51 after being rocked outwardly by the presser cam 42 are immediately rocked inwardly to inactive position by the selector levers and these needles then engage and are raised to a level 60 by the cam 20. As the cylinder continues to rotate the needles in the level 60 engage and are raised to the level 56 by the cam 21 to clear the previously formed stitches thereon and take the main yarn at position 51 and these needles are then lowered by stitch cam 22 to form stitches of only the main yarn.

The machine is also provided with a usual transfer dial mechanism 61 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which includes a bed member 62 having guide walls 65 defining slots for guiding pairs of transfer bits 66 (FIGS. 4 and 5). The bed member 62 is secured to a shaft 67 (FIG. 3) supported in a housing member 70 of the dial mechanism for rotation in synchronism with the needle cylinder 10. The transfer bits are moved radially in the slots in the bed member for cooperation with alternate needles 12 to form welt portions of stocking fabrics by an outer cam ring 71 secured to a lower-flange or dial cap 72 of the housing member 70 and by vertically retractable cams 74 and 75 for purposes hereinafter set forth.

The operation of the needles at station No. 1 by the cam 31 and other needle operating means in cooperation with the transfer bits in knitting turned welt portions of stockings forms not part of the instant invention and will not be further described herein. However, both the operation of and the means for operating the needles and transfer bits is generally similar to that set forth in Patent No. 3,108,459 of Benjamin Franklin Coile, issued October 29, 1963, to which reference may be made.

During knitting of stocking fabrics on the machine the yarn fingers are operated between active and inactive positions at each of the knitting stations to move the yarns thereof into and out of knitting position at different parts of the fabric according to a predetermined sequence in a common manner. The machine according to the invention is provided with means for controlling and severing yarns when they are removed from knitting position closely adjacent to the last needle to knit them and for holding the ends of the yarns extending from the yarn fingers under tension until the yarns are again returned to knitting positions. Also the severing means is adapted to sever the yarns, when they are returned to knitting position, close to the first needle to take and knit them. The severing means is also adaptable for the severance of reinforcing yarns close to the first and last needles to knit these yarns in each reinforced course and for controlling the ends of such reinforcing yarns during their severance.

The yarn severing means shown herein is generally of the type shown in Patent 2,824,436, issued February 25, 1958 and includes an annular member 76 which is mounted between the outer cam ring 71 and the guide walls 65 of the bed member 62. The annular member 76 is provided with teeth 77 at its outer peripheral edge which are pitched in the direction of the counterclockwise or rotary movement of the needle cylinder 10. The member 76 is also provided at spaced points with downwardly extending projections such as indicated at 80 in FIG. 5 which are slotted to interfit certain of the walls 65 whereby the member is caused to rotate with the bed member 62. A plate-like cutting element 81 secured to the outer cam ring 71 as by screw 82 (FIG. 6) adjacent each of stations Nos. 1 and 3 cooperates with the upper surfaces of the teeth 77 of the member 76 to sever the yarns at the stations Nos. 1 to 4 close to the circle of needles at the time the fingers for the yarn are moved to inactive position and again when the fingers are returned to active position in the manner hereinafter set forth.

In order to hold ends of the yarns extending from the yarn fingers following their severance from the fabric in the manner hereinafter set forth, the yarn ends are held in a flow of air passing upwardly through the lower ends of suction tubes 85. As shown in FIG. 3, there is a tube 85 adjacent each station and the upper ends of the tubes at stations Nos. 1 and 4 are connected through a Y fitting 86 to a rigid conduit 87 (FIG. 2). The upper ends of the tubes 85 at stations Nos. 2 and 3 are likewise connected through a Y fitting 90 to a rigid conduit 91 and the conduits are in turn connected through a Y fitting 92. The tubes and fittings are suitably supported on the dial mechanism 61 and the Y fitting 92 is connected through a flexible tube 95 to a collection chamber 96 which serves to catch waste ends of yarns and a vacuum pump 97 or the like, diagrammatically shown in FIG. 1, for inducing a continuous fiow of air into lower ends of the tubes 85.

As indicated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 8 the lower end of the tube 85 at each station is flattened as at 99 to form an elongated narrow opening 100 extending from the station along the dial cap in the direction of rotation of the needle cylinder. A guide finger 101 secured to and extending from the lower end of the tube 85 at one end of the narrow opening 100 (FIGS. 3 and 4) acts to guide yarns when moved out of knitting positions, as hereinafter set forth, beneath the open end of the tube. A member 102 secured to the upper surface of the dial cap 72 of the dial housing 70 and lying beneath the narrow opening 100' of each tube has a camming surface 103 at the leading end thereof which acts to raise yarns from the upper surface of the dial cap to a point closely adjacent the open end of the tube as the yarns are carried by the annular member 76 from their feeding point to one of the severing points, as hereinafter set forth. A portion 105 projecting upwardly from the other end of the member 102 adjacent one end of the flattened end 99 of the tube and a pin 106 secured in and extending upwardly from the dial cap 72 adjacent the camming surface 103 of the member 102 at stations Nos. 2 and 4, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, acts to position the yarns beneath the narrow openings of the tubes at these stations as the yarns are carried around by the annular member 76. The members 102 at each of stations Nos. 1 and 3 are also provided with an upwardly projecting portion which acts with a finger 107 adjacent the camming surface 103 of the member to position the yarns beneath the narrow openings of the tubes at these stations.

The finger 107 at station No. 1 projects upwardly from a guard plate 108 overlying a portion of the dial cap 72 and the annular member 76 between stations Nos. 1 and 4. One end of the guard plate 108 is secured to the housing member 70 of the dial mechanism 61 adjacent station No. 1 and the free end 110 of the guard plate adjacent station No. 4 is curved upwardly to a point above the lower end of the tube 85 as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4. An outer camming edge 111 of the upturned end 110 curves downwardly to merge with an arcuate lip 112 which extends outwardly of and downwardly to cover a portion of the periphery of the annular member 76 and the cutting edge of the cutting element 81 adjacent station No. 1 (FIGS. 3 and 5) for purposes hereinafter set forth. A similar guard plate 108 extending between stations Nos. 2 and 3 is secured to the housing member 70 adjacent the latter station and this guard plate also has an upwardly extending finger 107 which acts with the portion 105 of the member 102 to position the yarns beneath the open end of the tube 85 at station No. 3 as above set forth.

When a main yarn finger 11 at station No. 1 is moved from a lowered knitting position to an inactive upper position (see FIG. 5) the yarn thereof is carried downwardly by the last needle to knit it into a tooth of the annular member 76 and the yarn is then carried by the member 76, as it rotates with the needles, beneath the finger 101 which acts to guide the yarn beneath the tube 85 adjacent station No. 1 and into engagement with upwardly projecting portion 105 of member 102 at this station, as shown in FIG. 8. As the member 76 and needles continue to rotate the yarn engages the pin 106 at station No. 2 and then passes beneath the upturned end 110 of the guard plate 108 between stations Nos. 2 and 3, the yarn at this time also being raised by the member 102 at station No. 2 into close proximity to the lower end of the tube 85 at the latter station. During continued rotation of the member 76 the yarn is cammed downwardly along the edge 111, beneath the lip 112 on the guard plate and into engagement with the cutting edge of the cutting element 81 at station No. 3 to sever the yarn close to the last needle. At this time the free end of yarn is under the influence of the fiow of air entering the open ends of the tubes 85 at both stations Nos. 1 and 2 (see FIG. 8) and will be drawn and held by one or the other of these tubes. With the free end of the yarn extending from the inactive finger at station No. 1 held by one of the tubes 85 adjacent stations Nos. 1 and 2, when the finger is again lowered to knitting position, the yarn is carried into a tooth of the member 76 by the first needle to knit it and the member 76 then carries the yarn beneath the guard plate 108 between stations Nos. 2 and 3 and to the cutting element 81 at station No. 3 Where the free end of the yarn is severed between said first needle and tube 85 in which the end is held. When the free end of the yarn is held by the tube 85 at station No. 2 at the time the yarn is moved to knitting position, the waste end of yarn is immediately carried through the tube to the collecting chamber. However, when the yarn end is held by the tube at station No. 1 the yarn end may be withdrawn from this tube as it is carried to the severing point. However, inasmuch as the yarn is also guided beneath the tube station No. 2 in its path to the severing point, the yarn end will be drawn into and held by the latter tube at the time it is severed and the waste end of yarn will also be carried by this tube to the collecting chamber 96. In like manner yarns moved into and out of knitting position at station No. 3 will be guided and controlled by the tubes 85 at stations Nos. 3 and 4 and the yarns will be severed by the cutting element at station No. 1.

During knitting of a reinforcing yarn with a main yarn at stations Nos. 1 and 3, as hereinbefore set forth, the fingers 16 for the reinforcing yarns remain in active positions and these yarns are severed adjacent the first needle to take and knit them and also severed adjacent the last needle to knit them in each reinforced course, the yarn fed at station No. 1 being severed at station N0. 3 and the yarn fed at the latter station being severed at station No. 1 and the yarn ends are controlled by the air flowing through the tubes 85 in the same manner as the ends of the main yarns when moved between active and inactive positions, as hereinbefore set forth.

When a yarn finger for either a main or reinforcing yarn is moved to inactive position at station No. 2 the yarn thereof is raised above the upturned end 110 of the plate 108 between stations Nos. 2 and 3 and as this yarn is carried by a tooth of the member 76 above the plate it is guided beneath the tubes 85 adjacent stations Nos. 2, 3 and 4 (see FIG. 9) and beneath the plate 108 between stations Nos. 4 and 1 to be severed by the cutting element 81 at station No. 1. Following severance of this yarn the end thereof extending from the finger is drawn into and held by the tube 85 at one of the stations Nos. 3 and 4. When the yarn is again moved to knitting position the first needle to knit draws the yarn into a tooth of the member 76 which then carries the yarn beneath the plate 108 between stations Nos. 2 and 3 to be severed by the cutting element at the latter station. At this time when it occurs that the free end of the yarn is held by the tube 85 at station No. 4 the end may be withdrawn from this tube at which time it will be immediately drawn into and held by the tube at station No. 3. When the end of the yarn is initially held by the tube at station No. 3 at the time the yarn is returned to knitting position and severed at station No. 3, the yarn end within this tube will be of suflicient length to prevent its withdrawal therefrom and following severance of the yarn the waste end is withdrawn through this tube to the collecting chamber 96. Likewise, both main and auxiliary yarns moved to inactive position at station No. 4 are guided past the cutting element 81 at station No. 1 and are severed by the cutting element at station No. 3, the severed end then being drawn into and held by one of the tubes 85 at stations Nos. 1 and 2. The yarns at station No. 4 upon being moved to active position are severed at station No. 1, the ends of the yarns at this time remaining under the influence of the flow of air entering one of the tubes.

When it is also desired to incorporate a reinforcing yarn with a main yarn at stations Nos. 2 and 4, the fingers 16 for the reinforcing yarns at these stations are lowered from inactive to active position and the yarns are severed adjacent the first needle to take the yarns in the manner above set forth. The reinforcing yarns then remain in active position and are severed adjacent the first needle and again adjacent the last needle to knit them in each course formed at stations Nos. 2 and 4, the reinforcing yarn fed at station No. 2 being severed at station No. 3 and that fed at station No. 4 being severed at station No. 1. Following feeding of the reinforcing yarn to the last needle to knit it at station No. 2 the yarn is drawn downwardly into a tooth of the member 76 and is carried therewith beneath the plate 108 between stations Nos. 2 and 3, beneath the tube at station No. 2 and severed by the cutting element at station N0. 3, the end of the reinforcing yarn then being drawn into and held by the tube at station No. 2. With the end of the yarn from the finger held by the tube 85 at station No. 2 the first needle to knit the yarn draws it down into a tooth of the member 76 to be carried therewith beneath the plate 108 and severed by the cutting element at station N0. 3. During this movement of the yarn to the severing point the end of the yarn may be withdrawn from the tube 85 at station No. 2. However, since the severing point is be tween the tube 85 at stations Nos. 2 and 3, the air flowing into one or the other of the tubes will continue to hold the yarn and carry the Waste end to the collecting chamber following its severance. The reinforcing yarn fed at station No. 4 is similarly controlled by the tubes 85 at stations Nos. 4 and 1 during movement of the yarn to the severing point at the latter station. When the fingers for the reinforcing yarns are again raised to inactive positions, the reinforcing yarn at station No. 2 is guided past the cutting element 81 at station No. 3 and severed by the cutting element at station No. 1 and the reinforcing yarn at station No. 4 is guided to station No. 3 for severance in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the mechanism of the instant invention provides for both the severance and control of the yarns during severance at each knitting station as the yarns are moved into and out of knitting action either through the movement of the feed fingers for the yarns or through the action of the needles to which the yarns are fed. Furthermore, by providing controlling means at each station for the yarn ends and severing means at alternate ones of the stations the severed ends of yarns extending from the feed fingers at any one of the stations will be constantly under the influence of the controlling means at a plurality of stations in the path of the yarns between the feeding and severing points.

It will be understood that the improvement specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotarily operated circle of needles, a plurality of knitting stations, means for feeding yarns to said needles at each of said stations, and means at each of said stations for moving the feeding means thereat between active knitting positions in which said feeding means feeds its yarn to said needles and inactive positions, in combination with yarn holding means associated with each of said stations, yarn severing means at each of an opposed pair of said stations, means for carrying yarns moved to active position by their feeding means at a third of said stations to the severing means at one of said first opposed pair of stations for severance and for carrying yarns moved to inactive position at said third station to the severing means at the other of said opposed pair of stations for severance, and means for guiding the yarns moved to inactive position at said third station beneath the holding means associated with a plurality of stations during movement to the severing means at said other of said opposed pair of stations.

2. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said holding means associated With each of said stations comprises a suction tube and means for creating a flow of air through said suction tube.

3. In a circular knitting machine having a rotarily operated circle of needles, a plurality of knitting stations, guide fingers for feeding yarn to said needles at each of said stations, and means at each of said stations for moving said fingers thereat between an active knitting position in which said fingers feed their yarns to said needles and inactive positions, in combination with means associated with certain of said stations for severing yarns, and means whereby said severing means associated with each of said certain stations is adapted to sever the yarns of at least two stations of said plurality of stations other than the station with which it is associated, the yarns of one of said two stations being severed by the severing means associated with one of said certain stations and the yarns of the other of said two stations being severed by the severing means associated with at least two of said certain stations.

4. In a circular knitting machine having a rotarily operated circle of needles, a plurality of knitting stations, guide fingers for feeding yarns to said needles at each of said stations, and means at each of said stations for moving said fingers thereat between active knitting positions in which said fingers feed their yarns to said needles and inactive positions, in combination with means for severing yarns at said station, said severing means including an annular toothed member rotatable with said needles and a cutting element at each of a first opposed pair of said stations cooperating with the teeth of said annular member, and means whereby the cutting element at one of said opposed pair of stations is adapted to sever the yarns of the other of said opposed pair of stations, said severing means at both of said first opposed pair of said stations also being adapted to sever yarns at each station of a second opposed pair of said stations.

5. In a circular knitting machine having a rotarily operated circle of needles, a plurality of knitting stations, means for feeding main yarns to all of said needles at each of said stations, means for feeding reinforcing yarn with said main yarn to a group of said needles including a first and last needle at each of said stations, means at each of said stations for moving said feeding means for said main and reinforcing yarns thereat between active knitting positions and inactive positions, in combination with means for severing yarns at said stations, said severing means comprising an annular toothed member rotatable with said needles, a cutting element at each of an opposed pair of said stations, and means whereby the cutting element at one of said opposed pair of stations is adapted to sever the main yarns of the other of said opposed pair of stations when said feed means for said main yarns is moved to active position and again when said feed means is moved to inactive position, and is adapted to sever the reinforcing yarn at said other of said opposed pair of stations adjacent the first and last needles of the group of needles to which said reinforcing yarn is fed while the feed means for said reinforcing yarn is in active position, said cutting element at said one station of said opposed pair of stations also being adapted to sever the main yarn at a third station intermediate said opposed pair of stations when said feeding means thereof is moved to active position.

6. In a machine according to claim 5 in which the main yarn at said third station is severed by the cutting element at said other of said opposed pair of stations when the feeding means thereof is moved to inactive position.

7. In a machine according to claim 5 in which a reinforcing yarn at said third station is severed by the cutting element at said one of the opposed pair of stations adjacent the first and last needles of said group to which said reinforcing yarn at said third station is fed while the feeding means thereof is in active position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,146,647 2/1939 Page 66-42 2,551,385 5/1951 Miller 66-l40 2,824,436 2/1958 Stack et al. 66--140 3,006,173 10/1961 Shoaf 66145 X 3,066,512 12/1962 Moody 66l34 X 3,090,216 5/1963 Mahler 66-l40 3,097,513 7/1963 Pike et al. 66-140 X 3,157,036 11/1964 Coile 66-140 FOREIGN PATENTS 593,152 5/1959 Italy.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Primary Examiner.

DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner. 

3. IN A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A ROTARILY OPERATED CIRCLE OF NEEDLES, A PLURALITY OF KNITTING STATIONS, GUIDE FINGERS FOR FEEDING YARN TO SAID NEEDLES AT EACH OF SAID STATIONS, AND MEANS AT EACH OF SAID STATIONS FOR MOVING SAID FINGERS THEREAT BETWEEN AN ACTIVE KNITTING POSITION IN WHICH SAID FINGERS FEED THEIR YARNS TO SAID NEEDLES AND INACTIVE POSITIONS, IN COMBINATION WITH MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN OF SAID STATIONS FOR SERVING YARNS, AND MEANS WHEREBY SAID SERVING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID CERTAIN STATIONS IS ADAPTED TO SEVER THE YARNS OF AT LEAST TWO STATIONS OF SAID PLURALITY OF STATIONS OTHER THAN THE STATION WITH WHICH IT IS ASSOCIATED, THE YARNS OF ONE OF SAID TWO STATIONS BEING SEVERED BY THE SERVING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF SAID CERTAIN STATIONS AND THE YARNS OF THE OTHER OF SAID TWO STATIONS BEING SEVERED BY THE SERVING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH AT LEAST TWO OF SAID CERTAIN STATIONS. 